Innovations

Sealantis’ alga-mimetic sealant in clinical study

aifa, Israel-based Sealantis Ltd., a private start-up emerging from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, reports that eight patients have now been treated with Seal-V, its alga-mimetic vascular sealant, as part of the company’s first clinical study.

Seal-V is a protein-free sealant, designed to resolve current limitations and challenges in the control of surgical bleeding. The clinical trial, taking place in Israel, is evaluating the safety and efficacy of achieving hemostasis in large peripheral blood vessels using the Seal-V protein-free sealant.

Sealantis is a 6-year-old startup, located on the campus of one of Israel’s leading academic centers — the Technion. Sealantis was founded by Prof. Havazelet Bianco-Peled, a world-renowned expert in biomedical polymers.

Since the early 2000s, Prof. Bianco-Peled had been researching the adhesion mechanism of algae to rocks underwater. The research unveiled the chemical composition of the algae adhesive, but it was the professor’s invention of a synthetic, alga-mimetic adhesive that enabled harnessing nature’s power for practical and commercial uses.

In 2007, the invention was embraced by the Alfred Mann Institute at the Technion (AMIT), which is funding the company. While having potential uses in a variety of industrial applications, Sealantis chose to focus on urgent medical needs – controlling leakage of body fluids through surgical or traumatic wounds. Such leaks can be fatal since sutures or staples are not fully leak-proof. “Sealing surgical incisions requires sticking to wet or moist surfaces, which is a challenge that most known adhesives can’t usually meet,” said Prof. Bianco-Peled.

Surgical sealants represent a market of over $1.0 billion, which grows 14% annually. “When I look at the market, it’s clear to me that there is no single winning solution,” says Dr. Zeev Gilkis, AMIT CEO and Sealantis Ltd. Chairman. “There are some good products, but each one has drawbacks or is limited to a specific application. Sealantis brings a versatile yet simple technology, addressing unmet clinical needs.”

“Seal-V is overcoming a clinical need with its unique features, which offer simultaneous sealing and hemostasis for native and synthetic vascular fields,” said Prof. Vincent Riambau, Chief of Vascular Surgery Division, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, and Past President of the European Society of Vascular Surgery (ESVS), who serves on the Clinical Advisory Board of Sealantis. “It is accomplishing valuable qualities for vascular surgery, being quick, easy to use, effective and safe. It will surely be most welcome to the vascular community.”

Sealantis Ltd. is currently planning its next regulatory steps toward a PMA study and FDA approval of Seal-V and is working on strategic partnerships towards the coming market launch.”